From the Eastern Mountains
by cupcakemolotov
Summary: Sometimes you have to let go to find yourself. When Caroline walks away from MF, unable to bear Christmas without her mom, she finds herself on an unexpected journey. The world is open to her, but some ties you can't break. Some, you don't want too.


_Onward through the darkness of the lonely night,_

 _Throw Thy radiance o'er them, guide them on their way_

That first Christmas, it was the _snow_.

Staring at her mom's grave with little flurries falling, her boots crunching on the dead and frozen grass as she left the graveyard - something inside Caroline broke open. No more stupid hats, those rare hot chocolate moments, no more ridiculous gifts to laugh about. Her mom had loved White Christmases, even if they meant more idiots on the road.

It felt like she was drowning, her lungs suffocating her with each ragged, familiar breath and she couldn't do it anymore.

It wasn't until she sat down on the plane with nothing put her purse, ticket clutched tightly between her fingers, that Caroline realized she hadn't even thought of calling Stefan. Leaning back, eyes staring blankly out the window, she swallowed past the shards in her throat.

And for the first time in her life, she let someone go.

Caroline loved Australia.

It was beaches and barbecues and sunshine. She slid into Sydney as if she'd been born there, and she barely thought of home when she wasn't in her hotel. It was easy to bury the knot in her stomach and ignore the band around her lungs as long as she didn't think to hard, but during those early morning hours?

Stefan had sent her fifteen text messages and left her nine voicemails. She had listened to them, and she forced herself to _listen_. And it had nearly savaged her, the concern he expressed. Not for her, never for her.

 _Why would you leave me?_

 _Caroline, I love you. I need you._

 _Come home, I can fix this_

Not once did he question if she was okay. If she needed him. If she wanted him there. Why she left. Caroline dropped her phone into a harbor, and it felt like a weight had lifted off her shoulders. It took a few days, but she finally replaced it with something completely different; she wondered how something so simple could feel like shedding old skin.

Caroline left her contacts empty.

But not even prawns and sand between her toes blunted Christmas Day. She made it through most of the celebrations before heading back to her hotel to hide. Sitting on her balcony, a bottle of champagne open next to her, she stared at the harbor with with blurred eyes.

How did this work?

How did you just keep moving through a world that refused to stop spinning?

Caroline knew she could go back. She could pack her bag, board a plane and walk right back into the Caroline-she'd-been. But it felt wrong. How could you have homesickness when you didn't really have a home? Setting her phone down, she kicked off her shoes and stretched out. If she listened hard, she could hear the laughter and the celebrations around her, the opening of dozens of beer cans and bottles. She'd spent hours mingling with them, drinking beer she'd never heard of and ignoring the ice in her chest.

She drank steadily from the bottle, until her fingers were clumsy and the world was warm. Blinking until the spinning focused a little, she ran her fingers over the screen of her new phone and considered. She'd memorized three numbers since she was fourteen. One had been the phone at the station; one belonged to her dad. If she closed her eyes, she could still dial both from heart.

The third she'd never really allowed herself to acknowledge.

Caroline had memorized those ten numbers long before she'd called him a dozen times for _Damon_.

The last she'd spoken to him, she'd been struggling to catch her breath, still humming from the last orgasm he'd coaxed from her pleasure dazed body. She'd hardly protested as he collected their clothing, but the way he'd bent in front of her, his fingertips gentle on her cheek had shaken her far more than she ever planned to admit.

"I'll keep my promise."

Caroline swallowed at the way his tongue ran along his bottom lip. Tried not to think about how talented he was with it lest he take the fresh wave of arousal as a prompt for another round. The only reason she was even sitting up straight was because she was a vampire. She needed a blood bag (or three) and a cold shower; she'd just come more times in however long they'd been out here than she had in any of her previous relationships.

She wanted to do it again.

This time in a bed.

 _She couldn't._

"Will you?"

A quirk of his lips, the darkness of his pupil's drinking her in. He dragged his thumb across the bow of her lips and took a long, slow breath. "Though I'd appreciate it, sweetheart, if you'd make a point of letting me know how you are doing."

Caroline blinked. "No weird stalking in my future?"

Klaus stood and yanked on his pants, buttoning them when the zipper wouldn't cooperate. She'd no regrets in _that_ area for the afternoon. "Take care, Caroline."

Then she was alone, holding her zip-up sweater, underwear in shreds near her knees and jeans tossed near her shoes.

Her life was in shambles. She missed her mom, Stefan… Stefan betrayed her. The champagne nearly came back up and she blinked at the unexpected tears. Betrayal was such a final word, but she didn't know what other word to use. Stefan had picked himself. Did he think she didn't know the difference, after watching him with Elena?

Bonnie had picked Damon.

Just for once, she wanted someone to pick _her_.

Caroline tilted her head against the glass and listened to the phone ring. Maybe this was the best choice. She could cut all of her ties, watch the last of her lifelines burn themselves into ash. As the ringing continued, it occurred to her fuzzy brain that maybe she should've considered the time difference. Just as she dropped the phone to hang up, a curt voice cut across the line.

"Who is this?"

It took a moment, to find the breath to respond. Just his voice reminded her too much of what she'd walked away from, had let go. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. A second, more irritated demand and she licked her lips.

In for the penny, in for the pound.

"So, fair warning, I'm pretty sure I'm drunk."

There was a noise, a harsh exhale, but when he spoke, his voice was soft.

"Caroline. How are you, love?"

"I'm still deciding." Pulling her legs into her chest, Caroline rested her chin on her knees. "My mom's dead, Stefan isn't in love with me and I'm in Sydney. Oh, and _Merry Christmas."_

A shifting of weight, and she let her eyes close at the rustling of what she thought was bedding. What time was in it... wherever he was. Was he still in New Orleans? Somewhere else, like Europe? Did she care?

"Were you in love with Stefan?" Klaus said finally, his tone deceptively mild.

She shifted to lay down, to stare up at the blur of the sky. The city lights were too bright to see the stars, even with vampire vision, but she could pretend. The moon hung heavy and she shrugged.

"Probably not, but it was nice, to be wanted." She smiled bitterly, let the tears run into her hair. "But I don't think he wanted me. He just wanted a Caroline Safety Blanket, until Elena woke up. I'm sure you've heard about that little fiasco, with the whole curse and Bonnie and everything just… fell apart. I buried my _mom_. I flipped the switch. Good times."

"My knowledge of the current affairs of Mystic Falls is limited," Klaus said. "But clearly it is a subject I should be revisiting. If you are no longer there, I'm not certain our deal still stands."

She swallowed hard. Klaus' tone hadn't changed, but the was _something_ that left her insides trembling. A whisper of a promise maybe, the darkness of what he wore under his skin. But in the end, Stefan wasn't the one who'd carved away the most of her. She'd done that to herself.

"I hurt him."

"If he's broken your heart and sent you running halfway across the world, I'd be delighted to have a chat with him."

Caroline let out a shaky laugh and wiped her eyes. "No. Stefan thinks he's in love with me."

"Tell me, Caroline," Klaus asked her, the bite in his tone one that had her eyes sliding closed again. "Why did you call?"

It was on the tip of her tongue, to say she didn't know. That it was a whim. But she couldn't. Lying to herself had left _Damon_ as the person who sat next to her mother when she died and she'd never, ever forgive herself for that. "I needed a friend."

"So you called me?" His voice was suddenly careful, as if he was testing the words.

She swallowed the lump in her throat. "You once said to let you know how I was. Well, here you go."

Another noise, and then the soft sound of bare feet against wooden floors. She bit her lip hard enough to taste blood and there was a different quality of silence to the room he stood in. As if it was bigger, sounds bouncing a little further. Caroline wished she could visualize the space, wondered what he was thinking. Dread settled in her lungs, as she waited for him to speak.

If he rejected her, it might crush her after all.

"I confess," Klaus said finally, his voice holding a note she couldn't read. "That it has been some time since I've been a confidant, sweetheart. You're going to have to tell me what you need."

She laughed, the noise slightly wet. "I don't know. I _don't know._ "

A considering sound. "Why Australia?"

Caroline blinked, swallowed the knot in her throat. "My mom loved snow."

"Have you ventured out of Sydney yet?" Klaus asked, redirecting her gently. "I haven't spent much time there, but Bekah was exceptionally fond of the many Harbors."

"Not yet," she admitted, as she wiped her eyes. "I went to the Aquarium, tried to surf. You'd think vampirism would make it a little easier. Fun fact, it _doesn't_."

His laughter startled her, and her lips curved. "I imagine you'll catch on."

She groaned. "Laugh it up, but the board fights back, okay?"

"If you say so, sweetheart." Klaus replied without bothering to hide an iota of his amusement. "How long do you plan to stay?"

She sighed. "I don't know. A few months? A few weeks? I didn't… I didn't really _plan_ …"

Klaus let her faltering words go, not pushing and she gripped her shirt tightly. He knew what a lack of plan meant and he just… let it go.

"I own a place or two there, a yacht. If you'd prefer somewhere other than a hotel during your stay."

She stood up, head shaking before she could stop herself. "I didn't call to… _to_ …"

A noise of derision. "To what, Caroline? Did you think my friendship only extended to an occasional phone call?"

Her jaw set and she stared stubbornly at the water. "I don't want to use you."

"Is it using if I'm offering?"

"Fine," she growled, foot tapping in annoyance. "I don't want to take advantage of you, okay? That's not why I called. I don't need you to take care of me."

"Correct me if I'm wrong, as I'm still new to this kind of _friendship_ ," and the sudden heat in his tone inexplicably left her cheeks hot. "But if you were visiting a friend you'd happily sleep on their couch, correct? I've no interest in having you stay on any of my numerous couches when I've a perfectly good bed you can borrow instead."

"It's not the same."

"I'm hardly going to apologize for having more to offer than those who you'd considered your friends, Caroline." There was an edge to his tone, a note of exasperation. "Let yourself be a little selfish. I promise, I won't take you taking me up on my offer as an invitation to visit."

That brought her up short, the angry words dying on her tongue. Chewing on her lip, brows tucked tightly together, she sighed. "Is that what you think?"

"Are you inviting me to visit?"

Her insides trembled, at the thought of seeing him. It left her a little breathless, and she shook her head. It was too soon and she knew that she'd let him coddle her, as much as Klaus coddled anyone, and she needed to figure out why she'd almost let Mystic Falls swallow her. She needed to figure _herself_ out, before she could tangle with Klaus.

"I'm not… I don't think I'm ready for that. But I _won't_ use you as a crutch, Klaus. I called, because I knew you'd answer and I needed that. Okay?"

"Alright," he said finally and she could nearly visualize the way he narrowed his eyes. "But I'm going to text you the information regardless and if you find yourself in a bind, go. The caretakers will be expecting you."

Caroline scowled. "I won't need them."

He made a noncommittal noise and she rolled her eyes. She'd never, ever admit it but having that little bit of a fallback took a weight off her shoulders. She was determined to figure this out and it was… well, having the Original Hybrid in her corner couldn't be a bad thing.

"Will you stay in touch?"

She swallowed. Compressed her lips as she thought over his question. An invitation to reach out when she needed an ear. Conversation on her own terms. "Yes, but I can't make any promises about how often. Do not send creepy people to keep an eye on me."

Klaus was dangerous, and not just to her sanity. There was a reason she'd made that first deal, even if she hadn't expected to spend those hours testing hybrid flexibility on the forest floor. Klaus was dangerous because he tempted her.

"I'd hardly classify them as creepy."

"I'm serious."

"So am I."

She gritted her teeth and scowled. " _Klaus_ …"

"Enjoy your first trip, love. I'm here if you need me."

It gutted her, the honesty in his voice. If she needed him. Not when. Just if. An open ended offer.

Why couldn't Stefan have offered her the same? Stefan, who was so much easier to care for, then the monster who bent for her. He was who she thought she wanted, but it just…

It left ash on her tongue. They'd nearly destroyed each other and the ashes of a friendship she'd cherished were all that was left. It shook her, the sudden certainty that she'd never go back.

Squaring her shoulders, she walked to the balcony and gripped the edge of it tightly. "Thank you."

"Of course. Goodnight, Caroline."

She stood on her balcony, until true night had settled. Then, very carefully, she added a single contact to her phone.

 _K.M._

* * *

Australia took two years. She spent time on beaches, the trip to the outback that had lasted two days, but she loved Adelaide. She learned to drink beer, she mostly got the hang of surfing and she adored the reefs. The Opera House was impressive, but not to her taste.

Sometimes, she texted Klaus, quick little notes or a random picture that amused her. He always texted back, but he never pushed her. Caroline never saw any of his creepy spies, and he never so much as hinted at what he knew, but she'd no doubt that he was getting info from someone.

She hadn't been brave enough to call again.

But her third year, she went roaming. She created a tumblr, stalked travel blogs and made lists. She wandered through Papua New Guinea, saw bits and pieces of Cambodia and chased down a dream to see the living tree bridges in India. That had been an adventure, one she'd been relieved to have the use of compulsion to help her navigate through the ropes. She ate too much spicy food, drank too much and experienced her first monsoon.

It wasn't all fun and beautiful sights. There were a dozen or so bodies left behind, and Caroline had learned the hard way how dangerous she could be. It was one thing, to let her monster out when involved in supernatural problems, but against humans, they'd no chance.

The trick was to to let the vampire bleed into her life. Compartmentalizing, shoving her hunting instincts into a box left her a walking time bomb. The parts of her that had been so ruthlessly unleashed when she flipped the switch clawed at her skin.

These days, she wore her monster a little closer to the surface.

Somehow, she found herself back on a beach for Christmas. She'd picked a different hotel, had set up a tiny fake tree that sat next to her balcony overlooking the bay. Fiddling with her phone, she stared at it. Three years was long enough between calls, right? Totally the vampire equivalent of three days?

 _Whatever_.

She stared critically at her pretty pedicure as the phone rang, twisting one curl around her index finger. She wasn't… nervous, but the anticipation of hearing his voice ended up as a knot when voicemail clicked over.

"Hey, it's me," she licked her lips. "I just wanted to say hi, I guess. See how you were. Merry Christmas, Klaus."

Well, she supposed that solved that dilemma. Feeling disappointed, she stood with a grunt and headed to her closet to find a dress. There was no point in staying in alone when she could be out getting disgustingly drunk.

So she partied.

Staggering home with blood on her tongue she clumsily dug through her phone, blinking as she swiped across to answer just as a voice called her name.

"Caroline."

Her phone slipped from numb fingers back into her purse as she stared at Stefan and Damon Salvatore. Blinking in the hopes that she was seeing things, she straightened as she felt the blood drain from her face.

"Stefan."

Brows tucked together, he stepped in her direction, something unreadable in his gaze as he took her in. Silence hung between them, which Damon broke.

"Well, if it isn't our favorite vampire Barbie. Out ruining lives?"

The knot in her chest dissolved with the force of her temper. "Oh, shut up Damon. You should talk about ruining lives."

"Caroline," Stefan admonished quietly. Her gaze cut over and he lifted a brow. Something uneasy and surprised flickered across his familiar eyes. "You've changed."

"I hear that happens, as you grow up. Pity your brother hasn't taken a single moment of his couple of centuries to have a moment of self reflection."

"You left," Stefan murmured instead of responding to her insult. "Why?"

She shrugged. "I needed to."

"I would've come with you."

Caroline glanced away with a sigh, ran her fingers through her frizzy curls. "But I didn't need you."

"So you just traipsed off into the wild, not caring about who you hurt or left behind." Damon said, tone sharp. "Couldn't even let your friends know you were alright?"

"Fuck you, Damon."

"Been there, done that, can't say I particularly enjoyed it."

She gave him her monster's smile. "Neither did I, but compulsion will do that, won't it? Why are you here?"

Stefan stared at her with betrayal in his eyes. "There's a witch here, who might be able to help with the curse. I didn't know you were here."

She wouldn't be, by morning. Just seeing him was a slap in the face of all the things she'd walked away from, had tried to let go. A million questions sat on her tongue - what about Bonnie? Was she alone for Christmas? How would reversing the curse hurt her? - but she bit her cheek until she tasted blood instead.

She wouldn't get pulled back into the Mystic Falls drama. She _wouldn't_. She was stronger now. "Good luck, then."

Stefan took a step towards her, hands sliding into his pockets. "Let me buy you a drink."

Caroline shook her head. "That wouldn't be a good idea."

"Caroline…"

She held his gaze, and kept her voice firm when it wanted to waiver. "Goodbye, Stefan."

"It doesn't have to go like this," he tried again, eyes hollowing. "I'll wait."

She adjusted her purse and stepped back. "But I don't want you to. I told you, I'm not girly little Caroline anymore, Stefan. You were my friend once, and I'll always remember that, but I won't go back to how it was. I'm sorry if I hurt you, but I'm done."

Damon sneered at her, eyes bright with anger. She twisted around before he could say anything, heading to the elevators. She heard the muttered insult, but forced herself to ignore it. She locked her room door, pressing her forehead against it and let out a shaky breath.

Running a hand down her face, she dropped her purse onto the coffee table and blinked when a light flickered. Brows tucked together as she recalled the phone call she'd missed, she grabbed her phone and froze.

K.M - _10:31. 10:32. 10:33_. She'd answered the phone call.

Oh _God_. _Oh_ God. _Oh_ _God_.

Lips moving, the noise that came from her throat was more of a squeak than anything articulate. Panic swelled in her throat and she covered her mouth, staring at the phone like it'd betrayed her.

"Caroline," Klaus said, voice low and edged with a darkness she hadn't heard since she was seventeen and he'd offered Tyler life or death. "Shall we discuss that little commentary from the elder Salvatore or should I simply track him down myself?"

She swallowed heavily and shook her head, remaining silent.

"Sweetheart," Klaus drawled. "Nothing to say?"

All her usual excuses and defenses wouldn't come. He wouldn't care about Bonnie's friendship or Stefan's reliance on the antagonistic relationship to stay sober. Klaus certainly wouldn't care about Elena locked in a spell, expecting Damon to be there when she woke.

He only cared about her opinion, and the words _wouldn't come._ Finally _,_ a little ragged, she found something to say.

"Don't kill him."

Klaus laughed, and she shivered. "Oh, I didn't plan on it."

Caroline sat on the couch and just stared at the phone. "I didn't realize you could hear…"

His tone shifted into something gentler when he replied. "I know."

She narrowed her gaze. "You could have hung up. Tried again later."

"Why?" He queried. "Had Damon not taunted you, I'd have remained in the dark. And it's clear by Stefan's reaction, he never addressed that particular history of yours. Tell me, Caroline, did any of them show you the slightest bit of concern when you were being terrorized?"

"Elena did."

A rough, angry noise. The sound of things breaking and she closed her eyes.

"Where are you?" Klaus asked finally.

"Does it matter?" She asked wearily. Standing up, she reached for the phone and sighed. "I just called to say Merry Christmas."

"Caroline…"

She touched the screen with careful fingertips. "Goodbye, Klaus."

Caroline ended the call, before he could do more than drag in a breath. Turning off her phone, she collapsed onto her bed with a sigh.

 _Merry Christmas_ to her.

* * *

It took fifteen years, to watch the snowfall on Christmas. The temperatures kept the winter weather from sticking as it fell, and it turned the Christmas Markets in Prague from beautiful to magical. The light dusting was unusual, but not unheard of and she lifted her face, letting the tiny snowflakes dust across her eyelashes and her outerwear.

She'd been in the Czech Republic for less than a week and had eaten her way through the delightful stalls, taking in the Christmas atmosphere of the city in a way she hadn't allowed herself in years. This wasn't New Zealand, Hawaii, Spain or any of the other countries she'd found herself in.

Caroline couldn't bear to see Sydney again. Terrified that she'd run into ghosts, that Klaus would be there, that he wouldn't...

She missed it.

The world was an amazing place, but it could be a lonely one, too. Maybe that was finally what drew her back to the fringes of Christmas. Hiding from the worst of the hurt hadn't done her any good, she'd tried for fifteen years. It was time to work through it instead. Baby steps.

A sudden laugh caught her attention, and she turned at the half familiar sound and froze. Blond hair twisted into an intricate braid, Rebekah Mikaelson stood in a coat that had to cost more than Caroline's entire hotel stay, smile wide on her face as she looked up into the snow flurries.

Behind her stood Klaus.

Her mouth ran dry, at the sight of him. His curls were a little longer than she remembered, and they glinted from the snow in the street lights. With the perfect fit of his pea coat and scarf, he looked warm and amazing, and she turned to face the jewelry stall next to her, heart hammering in her throat.

She hadn't expected such a visceral reaction to seeing him. Over the years, she'd reached for her phone and stared at his number but had never managed to call him. The horror of him knowing about Damon was only made worse by the embarrassment of knowing that he knew. She'd finally worked up the nerve, to look into Damon's well being five or so years ago, and from what she could tell, he was living his life. But the picture the witch who'd owed her a favor had sent, it had shaken her. Everything about Damon Salvatore had looked normal, he was the same asshole who'd come so close to destroying her. Except his eyes. His eyes were those of a man who was being hunted.

Whatever Klaus had done, it was subtle; the witch could find no hint of a spell or foul play. And Caroline been unable to find a single shred of guilt, as she glanced through the pictures.

Caroline bit her lip and tracked their voices through the crowd. She could walk away, and he'd be none the wiser. The heavy scent of ham and sausage covered nearly every other smell. She could slip back among the nameless, faceless masses and continue to explore those strange corners of the world.

She watched as they slipped inside a particular stall and squared her shoulders. She'd missed him. Missed knowing he was only a phone call away. The past decade has taught her a lot about herself, but most importantly, it'd shown her that being alone was a choice. She might not know what she was ready to offer him, but Caroline knew it was time to bridge that gap.

Adjusting the cap that she'd pulled down over her curls, she determinedly walked through the crowd. Rebekah was talking animatedly with the help, and Klaus was looking over a beautiful hand crafted ornament. She wondered if they had a tree. He'd removed his gloves, carefully turning the glass over in his hands. Slipping up next to him, she spoke softly.

"Hi."

Klaus stiffened next to her, head twisting so that his gaze locked on hers immediately. His pupils widened in surprise, lips barely parting as she offered him a tentative smile. She twisted her hands in her pockets to hide her nerves.

"Fancy meeting you here," Caroline tried carefully, teeth catching the curve of her lip as he blinked at her.

"Caroline," he said finally, gaze sharpening, lips curling at the edges with a hunting smile that had her heart beating rapidly. "This is a lovely surprise."

"You must be kidding me," Rebekah said as she suddenly appeared, eyes flashing. "Why are you _here_?"

Caroline lifted her hands and went to respond, when Klaus tangled his fingers with hers. Her gaze shot back to him as he handed the ornament off. "Have that sent to the hotel."

"You _must_ be jesting right now."

Klaus didn't bother to respond, stepping out of the stall and tugging her steadily with him. Caroline wasn't sure how to respond, to his hold on her hand or the way he kept glancing at her. They were near the large, brightly lit tree when he paused, free hand reaching to cup her cheek. Eyes scanning her face, he tilted his head.

"You don't like the snow."

She blinked, surprise turning her cheeks pink. "What?"

"The last fifteen years, love. You've spent Christmas along beaches drenched in sunshine."

She narrowed her eyes, faux irritation on her face while her heart pounded. " I knew there were creepy spies somewhere."

"Hardly _spies_ , Caroline."

Licking her lips, Caroline reached up with her gloved hand and curled her fingers around his palm. He went perfectly still, eyes flecked with gold. "My mom loved it when it snowed on Christmas. After she died, I couldn't handle it. But I'm tired of running, so I thought I'd start small."

Klaus bent his head, until his nose nearly brushed hers. "How small?"

Her lips tugged upwards. "This 'snow' hardly counts as precipitation. So, you may buy me something warm to drink while you tell me what you and Rebekah are doing here."

His dimples really were unfair, and she diverted her gaze to take the arm he offered. It was strangely comfortable, as he steered her through the milling crowds; Klaus procured them both mulled wine, and set about guiding her through Old Town.

"Rebekah is particularly fond of the markets here," Klaus told her. "They are a bits of an old memory, from previous times. The markets here are a bit of a tradition."

Caroline glanced around. "Google tells me it's not unlike how the medieval markets looked."

"Ah, yes, the wonders of Google."

She bumped him with her hip, at the nearly acidic tone in his voice. "Hush, some of us haven't outlived the odd civilization."

"I'm not quite that old," Klaus said dryly. "But there are some buildings here that I believe you'd find interesting. Church of St. James, the Kinský Palace and the Prague Astronomical Clock."

She grinned at him. "I've got a list."

Another flash of those dimples. "How long did you intend to stay?"

"Just a few days more," Caroline admitted, before finishing her drink. "You?"

"Bekah is determined to ring in the New Year in Paris this year," Klaus said easily. "We're meeting Elijah there tomorrow."

Curious, she tilted her head. "Elijah always struck me as the type to want to spend holidays around family."

The eldest Mikaelson had been hard to read, but there was no denying the ties that connected the family. Klaus had, from what few rumors she'd gleaned, spent several years rampaging until he'd restored Kol. She'd never understand the twisted devotion that played out between them, how they dragged the supernatural into their little wars. But she'd also never given much thought to how the holidays had changed, where they'd find meaning.

"We spent the Solstice together, before traveling here," he said, pausing to consider a stall. "Our family dinners tend to be a bit bloody, but I imagine Kol will make an appearance at some point in the next week."

"Well, good luck with that," Caroline said, instead of commenting.

"And what about you?

She blinked at the sudden curiosity in his voice, the glitter of something darker. "What about me?"

The slightest curve of his mouth. "Plans for the New Year?"

Stomach trembling, she shrugged, tried to deflect that flicker of hunger behind his eyes. "Probably the same as last year, roaming a city I've never seen. I've still got a few of those."

His smile shifted, widening into something knowing. "Yes. I believe Rome, Paris and Tokyo are on that steadily shrinking list."

"Fishing," Caroline scowled, hoping the cold air hid the pink in her cheeks. "Maybe I just haven't spent that much time in Europe."

Gaze dancing, he bent his head till their noses nearly touched. "Brussels this spring, Greece two years ago, and Ireland before that."

Eyes rolling, she ignored the pounding of her pulse. " _Such_ a stalker."

One finger traced a line down her cheek before he lifted his head, dimples deep as he turned and started walking again. "Nothing wrong with admitting you're waiting for me, love."

"Arrogant," she muttered, even as her fingers curled a little more firmly around his bicep. She wasn't ready to admit to anything.

Even if he was a tensy bit right.

* * *

Bavaria was having an unusually warm winter.

Not so much that she could go without outerwear, but the German countryside was without its winter coat. It was why she'd decided to spend the weeks leading to Christmas exploring Southern Germany. Munich had been a great launching point, and the Residency tour had ended up with a multitude of texts to Klaus.

And a surprising amount of dirty gossip from said Hybrid.

Currently, she was in some tiny village near Rosenheim, staying at an airbnb that had horrified Klaus when she'd called to confirm that he was going to meet her in Salzburg.

"Sweetheart…"

"It's a perfectly lovely place," Caroline informed him exasperated. "You don't actually think I've been touring the world staying in overpriced hotels and compelling my bills away?"

"Ah, my apologies. That _does_ seem like a much cleaner cleaner option."

Gaze narrowing, she huffed. "Seriously? Don't be an ass. A few days here and there works wonderfully into my budget - yes, I have one - and I pay where it'd make a difference."

"Come to Salzburg, I'm already here, I'll get a few extra days to show you around. You enjoyed St. Petersburg this summer."

Caroline pursed her lips. He had a point. The last few years had been… Klaus had taken her approach in Prague three years ago as a cracking of her defenses, and suddenly they _just_ kept running into each other. The Carnival in Brazil; her trip to Mexico City for the Day of the Dead; a gondola ride in Venice. Just a few hours of him and his damn delicious dimples, here and there. Then she'd traveled to St. Petersburg and found him waiting for her at the airport.

He'd spent two weeks, sliding in and out of her visit. Breakfast here, a walking tour there. Sharp teeth and yellow eyes at a few unlucky vampires thinking to try their luck with the newest vampire in the city.

It'd been exhilarating.

When he'd left, the city had been missing something. She'd stayed a week longer than she'd planned, out of sheer obstinacy. And then summer had changed into fall and she'd picked up her phone and extended the invitation.

Did he want to join her for Christmas after his Winter Solstice family bonding?

"I'd be delighted to join you for more than Christmas, Caroline."

"Uh, no. I'm not getting involved in whatever Elijah has decided is Original bonding. You can promise their best behavior, but Kol will be there, and Rebekah still hasn't decided if she's going to murder me yet."

"I'd hardly allow that," Klaus said mildly, the smoothness of his tone leaving her eyes rolling.

"It doesn't count as bonding if half of them are in _coffins_ , Klaus."

Caroline refused to bend and Klaus had finally grudgingly agreed to meet her on Christmas Eve. She'd texted him the where a few weeks ago, once she nailed down her plans. And she'd been fighting a severe case of the butterflies ever since.

It meant something, that she'd invited him into her Holiday. Regardless of how often he'd bumped into her, not once had Klaus interfered with Christmas. The month of December was hers and she'd opened it up.

Sleep had become a bit difficult to find.

Butterflies and a sort of impatient anticipation had combined with the desire she'd never fully been able to tap down after that day in the woods. They hadn't shared so much as a single kiss since then, but her imagination was vivid and very active. Waking up aroused and sweaty was becoming a norm, and Caroline had never been shy about a little masturbation, but both she and the monster under her skin wanted more.

She just wasn't sure how to go about getting it.

Hopefully, Salzburg would be a place to start.

But nothing ever went smoothly, and a few hours after she'd headed out to explore the quaint surroundings she'd planned to spend the next three days, she was barricading herself into the little home and listening to Klaus' phone kick over to voicemail with a curse. Glaring at the sounds of bodies being thrown at the front door, she bared her vampire face and hissed.

Howls echoed in the air and Caroline very determinedly hit redial. Her attempt to simply run towards civilization had failed when she crashed into a barrier, which meant that somewhere there were witches. She'd no idea they were trying to keep the very angry wolves inside the town or to keep people from escaping, but regardless she needed a plan. And backup.

"Caroline."

Her eyes slid closed in relief. "I swear to God, if your reluctance about me staying here had to do with werewolf packs, _just say so_ next time!"

"Are you hurt?"

The sudden edge to his words, the temper that she knew all too well were surprisingly comforting.

"Not yet, but I think I'm like, the only vampire here and the entire pack has taken offense to this. I'd have just run, but there's a pesky little barrier and…" Her words died as another, more frantic body rammed the door. This time there was a worrying crack. She was alone, and the stairs to the attic were narrow and maybe a good place to funnel them but _shit_.

"Caroline, even at top speed, I'm at least twenty minutes away."

She licked her lips, as she heard him moving. Narrowing her eyes, she nodded. "I'll be here."

"Try to avoid getting bitten, sweetheart."

The dial tone told her he was on his way. She scanned the house. It was a strange little home, but it worked in Caroline's favor. Most of the windows were too high for all but the most adventurous werewolves to jump through. The upstairs was cramped, but at least she wouldn't have to worry about being overwhelmed as easily.

Being bitten would hurt like a bitch, but with Klaus on his way it wasn't the real danger. Letting them dig out her heart and _multiple_ bites were her real problems right then. Squaring her shoulder, she headed to the kitchen to find a weapon.

The door last three minutes longer than she thought it would. The best she could do for herself was an assortment of kitchen knives and some interesting cast iron cooking wear.

The wood floors became slick with blood, as they worked to take her down and she ripped out hearts. It became a blur, the clock ticking in the back of her brain loud as she slipped, a hundred pounds of wolf digging into her back. Caroline ignored the agony of teeth, instead working to protect her throat. Just as she tossed the wolf on her back into another lunging wolf, a howl cut through the air.

Reaching up to grip the pain in her shoulder, she shivered.

How many _were_ there?

She ducked behind the ruins of the kitchen table as the air screamed. Heading snapping around at another howling cry, Caroline rolled her healing shoulder and hefted a shattered chair leg. She could feel the poison in her veins, but the wound was nearly healed; hey, who knew, regular bites were so much less painful than hybrid.

A clatter of claws on the floor and then a shadow tore into the remaining wolves.

 _Klaus_.

She kept still, as he fought. Better to not appear to be a threat, because if his wolf decided to attack she wouldn't survive the encounter. Caroline watched with wide eyes as he easily ripped anything that came near her apart, turning the wooden floors dark with bodies and gore, until every breath she took was filled with iron. When the last wolf fell, the sudden silence was jarring. But when those hybrid gold eyes turned in her direction, the tense muscles along his shoulders eased. Caroline blinked, as he studied her, tail relaxing and…

"Are you _preening_?"

A snort, and then she could almost feel the magic on her skin. Caroline sat down with a thump, wincing as she watched Klaus' shift. The sounds of bones breaking and muscle reforming were the only sounds in the home, Klaus strangely silent as he shifted. Looking away, she glanced around warily. They were going to have to torch the house and probably the village.

A sudden groan startled her, and she glanced back; her brain blanked as Klaus twisted around looked at her from his hands and knees. Yellow eyes and black veins, the double fangs of his beasts visible as he panted. His Hybrid features were an unexpected spark against the bloodlust and adrenaline the slaughter left singing in her veins. Her monster shoved against her skin and her nails sank into the wood floor.

She parted her lips, sucking in a much needed breath as the air charged between them. Klaus tilted his head, so similar to the way his wolf had watched her, and the shot of heat that flashed through at his nakedness her had her leaving gouges in the wood.

Klaus was silent, as he stood and moved towards her; Caroline tried to keep her eyes on his face and failed, tracking the movements of his muscles with greedy eyes. His pupils were wide as he took a very deliberate breath, the lack of clothing doing nothing to hide his very obvious arousal. But he was careful, as he inspected the unblemished skin of her shoulder, the contained rage as he traced the teeth marks doing nothing to calm her libido.

"You need blood, sweetheart."

She shivered, control barely a thread. She could take his wrist, keep things exactly as they were, and he'd let her. Erection hard between them, blood staining their skin, he'd walk away. She could take a little more time, be _sure_. Safe.

Caroline had no interest in _safe_.

Leaning forward, she licked a line up his carotid artery just to feel him shudder. Klaus' careful fingertips turned possessive and she bit down, hands fisting in his wild curls. She didn't care as he leaned back, so the she was straddling his abdomen as she fed. Her monster wanted to gorge, and each sweet mouthful went straight to her head.

She ignored him, as his fingers worked the fastenings of her jeans, right up until he insinuated those clever fingers into her underwear. Caroline released his neck with as gasp as two fingers curled inside her, the heel of his hand pressing firmly against her throbbing clit. Eyes a little dazed, she rocked against his hold as he arched his neck and lapped at her chin and lips. The taste of his blood on his tongue sent her over the edge and she came with a cry, sinking into his body with panting breaths.

"Caroline."

His voice was rough and she lifted her head, enjoying the way his gaze roamed her vampire features. Holding his gaze, she ran her tongue across her lips and smiled with her monster's teeth. Dragging her hand down his chest to fist around the base of his cock, Caroline lowered her chin to bite the edge of his tattoo, fangs scraping against his skin.

Klaus cursed, and her pants disappeared as he freed the hand in her panties. Rolling them so the weight of him pinned her, he panted harshly as he managed to catch her hands. "Caroline, you're high on blood lust."

She rolled her eyes and let the vampire fade. "Please, you don't think I actually invited you to Salzburg _just_ to talk, did you?"

He bent his head, studied her eyes. "I've learned not to assume anything in regards to you, love."

Amused, she arched one brow. "I'll be clear then. I want you to fuck me, right here. We can pretend to be polite about it later, but I want teeth and…"

Caroline's words turned strangled as he used one hand to suddenly part her thighs, sheathing himself inside her with one glorious thrust while blunt, human teeth dug into her shoulder. Her legs wound around his waist, arms straining against the hold he'd kept on her wrists with one hand. Hand slipping to grip her ass, he thrust again and her body slid a little against the slick floor.

She didn't care. Spine arching, she rubbed her breasts against the wall of his chest, shuddering with every rough roll of his hips. His teeth were against her neck, biting along the sensitive curve of her throat with blunt teeth. The pain only emphasized each delicious sensation and she encouraged him with breathless cries.

The heavy scent of iron in the air, blood and sweat slick on their bodies and Caroline had never come so hard in her life. Spine arching, heels digging into his body, she shuddered through her orgasm. Gasping as he followed her, she stared at him a little dazed as he lifted to smile at her, with yellow and black eyes.

"Teeth, I can provide, Caroline."

Then he'd flipped her, so the her knees and palms were pressed into the wood, his body covering hers as he thrust back inside her still throbbing body. In the low light, the broken and ruined bodies of the wolves were a surprising turn on, and she clenched down hard on his cock. One of Klaus' hands played with her neglected breasts, the other holding him steady as his cock slowly moved in and out of her. A near painful scrape of the edge of his fangs, and she cried out as he pinched her nipple.

"That's it," he crooned as her body pushed back against him. She could feel her vampire pushing against her skin, fangs sharp against her lips. The roughness of his body, the smell of his monsters against her skin, drove out any control she might have maintained. "Let your monster back out to play, Caroline. She's beautiful."

They fucked on the ruined floor, greedy and rough, until the first fingers of dawn found them sprawled against the cushions of the destroyed couch. Klaus was running his fingers through what remained of her curls as she dozed on his chest.

"I can't say that was what I was expecting from this trip." Caroline murmured, voice still a touch scratchy.

"Regrets?"

She snorted and shifted so she could see his face. "No. I might need to think through a few things, and I might not be ready for another round anytime soon, but I don't regret it."

His brows smoothed, fingers coming up to stroke her cheek. "You're magnificent."

Caroline felt her face heat. "We've just fucked covered in blood and surrounded by dead bodies."

His smile was sin and satisfaction, nails pleasant as they ran down her spine. "Let's do it again sometime."

"Do you have any idea why they attacked like that? Why the witches locked them in?"

"There are a few rituals that still occur around the Solstices. Some can go particularly badly, if handled wrong. My guess is it was a case of bad timing, love."

She pursed her lips at the note in his voice. The pit behind his eyes. Her monster stirred just a little, but she needed blood and a nap before she'd be ready for anything more than what he'd given her the night before. It was possible for a vampire to feel pleasantly used, but it required a gluttony of sex she'd never quite pictured before.

Not even the interlude in the woods held a candle to the uninhibited sex from last night.

"Why do I suspect that you killed them?"

"All of them," he agreed, lashes hooding the potency of his gaze. "Even if I hadn't needed them dead to bring down the barrier, none of them would have survived the night."

Her heart skipped into her throat, at the possessiveness and determination in his eyes. She'd known how he'd react when she'd called, Caroline could hardly fault him for protecting her life. "What are we going to do with the bodies?"

"I'll give Elijah a call. He's got a few contacts in this area who'll handle it."

Caroline froze, eyes widening. "I pulled you away from the family dinner, didn't I?"

His dimples wrecked her a little, as he smiled. His hand flattened on her back, palm smoothing along her skin. "Elijah will get over it."

She pressed her face into the curve of his neck with a groan as he laughed. It was strange, how easy it was to sprawl with him like this. Death all around them, but she was weirdly content. Still, her hair was mess of snarls and caked blood, and she needed clothes. Lifting her head, she wrinkled her nose.

"Well, I guess you're getting you wish of a few extra days."

His gaze lightened at the edges, yellow just bleeding into blue. Dimples deepening, he licked his lips. "So I am. Let's find something to wear and get this cleaned up."

They untangled themselves, and standing with a groan, Caroline impulsively went up on her toes to kiss him on the cheek. Klaus went motionless, muscles still beneath her palm as she landed on her heels. "I'm glad you're here."

Gaze hot and possessive, he lifted her palm to his lips. "There is nowhere else I'd prefer to be, Caroline."

And it was that ridiculous sappiness that she took with her into the shower while he made the necessary arrangements.

This might be the best Christmas in years.

* * *

Caroline pressed her face into the bedding, complaining low in her throat at the persuasive lips gliding down her spine. The air was warm, the crackle of the fireplace a pleasant background noise. But it was the soft, hissing sound that had her reluctantly parting her lashes to stare at the large windows.

 _Snow_.

Pushing up, and ignoring Klaus' sound of amusement, she walked to the window, scooping his Henley from the floor and pulling it over her head, so she could stare outside. It was her first white Christmas in over twenty years, and the bitter-sweetness was pushed aside as Klaus stepped up to press against her spine, lips pressing against her shoulder.

"I liked you better naked."

Caroline snorted, letting her body soften against him. "It's snowing."

An amused, long suffering noise she knew was entirely put on. "I believe I did promise snow."

Her lips curved up, fingers tracing the knuckles he'd laced over her stomach. Last year she'd very deliberately chosen to spend Christmas alone, much to Klaus' displeasure. They'd had a raging argument over the phone, and she'd refused to speak to him for the entire month of December.

She'd picked Cambodia, needing to get away from anything Original related, and one of her favorite resorts was there. Caroline hadn't been running from him, not really, but she had been running. She'd told Klaus the truth, she hadn't regretted anything that had happened between them, she just hadn't been prepared for it.

The previous year, after the werewolf attack, it'd been a full on Mikaelson Christmas. Including sibling rivalry and and extravagant gifts. And it'd rocked her, how badly she'd wanted it again. Rebekah's constant bitching, Kol's bloodthirsty shenanigans and Elijah's stuffy consideration had somehow felt more like family than the memories she'd carried so close to her heart for the last two decades.

So she'd panicked, a little.

 _Just_ a little.

And coming back to her room Christmas night to find a single, small box on her bed hadn't surprised her nearly as much as it should have. Hesitant, she'd tugged the gorgeous wrapping paper away and found a single Christmas ornament tucked inside the tissue paper.

Her fingers trembled, a little. When she recognized it as being the same one Klaus had been holding in Prague, when she'd said hi. There was no note, but she didn't need one. Running her hands through her bangs, she sighed and gave up.

She'd never manage to out run Klaus.

Caroline didn't want too.

"You're still an ass," she told him when he answered on the second ring. "And I'm not running from you, okay? I told you I needed to process."

"And do you still need to process?"

"I should," she growled. "For principle, but I miss you too much. You may pick me up in a week."

"I won't keep walking away, Caroline." Klaus warned, his voice edged in his monster.

"I don't want you to," she admitted. "I've never really wanted you to. It's probably not going to be easy, but I'm willing to try."

An exhale that was just a touch shaky, and her eyes unexpectedly welled. "I'll see you in three days."

"A week!"

"Merry Christmas, Caroline."

He'd shown up two days later and ruined her favorite room with her. She hadn't complained. The next six months had been spent working out the realities of _them_ , and Caroline had watched him hold back, just a little.

So one weekend in November, she'd flopped on his chest, ignoring the book he'd been trying to read on their couch.

"Christmas is in a month or so."

Klaus tangled his fingers in her hair, twisting the whorls around his knuckles. "Do you know where you want to be?"

Running her teeth along her bottom lip, Caroline watched him from beneath her lashes. "Do you think Elijah will mind if you skip the usual Solstice stuff?"

"I don't particularly care if he doesn't. What are you thinking?"

She fidgeted with his shirt and took a deep breath. "I was thinking you could pick this year."

He went rigid in surprise, eyes widening at the edges. Caroline licked her lips and then smiled hesitantly at him.

"I was thinking we could do a White Christmas this year. The two of us. If that's okay?"

His kiss had been soft, lingering until she parted her lips for more. Pulling back with eyes she couldn't read, the edges of his mouth curled up. "I know just the place."

Which was how she ended up in Tallinn, Estonia, in a winter wonderland with cobblestone alleyways and an old world feel that Klaus fit in with beautifully. She'd gorged on chocolate and Christmas and Klaus.

And it was snowing.

Turning, knowing the clock would show it was hours yet till dawn, Caroline curled her arms around his neck and smiled. "This is perfect."

Brows arching, Klaus smiled arrogantly back. "I know."

Eyes rolling, she squeaked when his hands slipped underneath her shirt cup her ass, fingers massaging playfully while his lips found hers. Caroline moaned, chasing his tongue. She was hardly surprised when he spun them, dropping her back onto the bed she'd just vacated, a lascivious smile firmly in place as he curled his fingers around one ankle to tug her towards him.

"Merry Christmas, sweetheart."

The words were murmured as he spread her thighs, mischief and arousal darkening his eyes as he looked at her. Body humming with need, she reached up to stroke his cheek.

"Merry Christmas, Klaus."

It was the last coherent sentence she said for hours.

* * *

 ** _Please Comment!_**

This was written for Biana_Delacroix for the Klaroline Winter Exchange who asked for there to be no babies, a happy ending and possibly in the travels-the-world genre. I think I managed to work all of those requirements in, so I hope you enjoy this!


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